Its official: We hate Swindon Town

By Mark Sugar August 16 2004

The Football Fans Census has taken a look at rivalries in football,and after collecting the views of 2,800 football fans have provided a fascinating insight into who the clubs view as their biggest rivals.For Reading FC,it has revealed we hate Swindon Town the most,and who could blame us.

FOOTBALLRIVALRIES

So which team do you hate most? Swindon Town, Oxford United or possibly Brighton or Bournemouth? Well a football fans census has revealed some interesting findings after asking supporters of the 92 clubs in the Premiership and Nationwide leagues who they hate most.

Reading fans have revealed they hate Swindon Town the most, with Oxford United second and surprisingly West Ham United third. When other clubs were asked the top 3 sides they hate Reading got a mention a few times. Here I reveal who and possible reasons The supporters of Bournemouth revealed they hated Reading the most.

Well why? Could it be the fact that we got a decent stadium with a decent manager and an amazing set of fans, and they have the opposite. Or possibly we have John Madejski and they don't have anyone. Or maybe we denied them a Play Off spot back in 2000/2001 season thanks to a Nicky Forster goal in injury time which made them finish 7th and not 6th. The supporters of Brighton put Reading as there 3rd most hated club after Crystal Palace and Portsmouth.

Possible reasons could be because we took Steve Sidwell under there noses after Brighton made a bid to sign him, or maybe we poached there manager Steve Coppell and the fact they got relegated back to Division One thanks to us losing to Stoke City on the last day of the season last year. Or maybe its because of the amazing 2nd Division Championship in 2001/2002 where they won the league and we came 2nd. Oxford United supporters put Reading has there 2nd hated club after Swindon.

Well possible reasons could be the Robert Maxwell merger or the fact that they are 26.1 miles away from each other. Jealousy comes into it just like with Bournemouth and Swindon and Brighton. Swindon Town put Reading as there 3rd main rivals after Oxford United and Bristol City. They are 41.7 miles away from us and are mainly jealous by everything at RFC. Who could forget small little Wycombe. They put Reading second after Colchester which is a rivalry which goes back to non-league. There manager use to be Lawrie Sanchez, now manager of Northern Ireland.

They are geographically closest of the 92 clubs to Reading with a distance of 25.6 miles but we haven't formed much of a rivalry with them due to them having recently got into the football league. Its a shame Aldershot aren't in the Nationwide yet because they really do hate us and for many young supporters like myself, I don't really no much about them. But supporters from the 1970's and 1980's will tell you how much of a rivalry this is.

The official AA Route Planner has said the distance between the 2 towns is 20.6 miles. One question I ask myself is why West Ham as our 3rd main rivals? Apart from taking Alan Pardew they have not done to much.

For me my order of teams I hate the most go Swindon Town Oxford United Bournemouth but when Aldershot get promoted to the League ask me again. But main reasons will be the success RFC has had in recent years with a new stadium, increasing fan base and good attractive football while the rest have had very little.

Any one that sings along at the games will no all the famous songs connected with our rivals like "Stand up, If you Hate Swindon" and "Oxford United, are sh*t". Which teams do you hate most?